Today we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Kinter.
Hi Pamela, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Not sure exactly what your are looking for, but I will give it a go! I’ve worked in the Washington D.C metropolitan area and Chicagoland area. After a few years trying to get acting roles and arts related jobs in Chicago, I began directing and fell in love with the art. I direct from an actors perspective with an intense focus on movement and the actor’s character body work. I mostly directed adults in local theater until I was hired as a youth Director at a Chicago area Youth Arts program. It was there that I learned how much of youth theater is oversimplified, downplaying actual character in favor of a “jazz hands” approach. I learned so many youth actors were not being trained to ACT their roles, but merely find a mark, walk on stage, and state memorized words! It was wild and I decided right then if I had the chance to work with young actors, I would challenge them and push them to quality theatre, no matter what their age! Theatre is a beautiful art and I am not about to allow any of my actors not train to the best of their ability! I got married, had children and moved back to the East Coast.. When my husband’s job brought us to North Carolina, I decided it was time to tackle my dream. But I was a mom with little kids. So I went back to the notes I used to scribble on baby magazines, when I was nursing my son- I would start high quallity performing arts classes for students of all ages. I wanted to open a studio; not a dance or music studio, but a Theatre studio….a performing arts studio, with the art of Acting as the foundation. I started slow, no loans, no rent. Just me and boxes of props and costumes in my mini van. I walked into schools, begging to start after-school programs. I did summer camps at local community centers and spring break camps with only 5 students enrolled. I started working at a summer intensive camp for musical theater and worked there every summer while I honed Stagelights into a small business. I made connections with parents, teachers and community leaders eventually working with head start students in my county- bringing them dramatic play (as young as 2 years old). Finally, after about 5 years of working without a studio space, I signed a lease in a basement of a business park. My choreographer, Amy, who is now Stagelights business manager, told me if I opened a studio she would come along with me! We are now in a studio double the size, in a wonderful downtown location and are doing well. We LOVE our students! We teach musical theater from the ground up- no one on stage without being in character, working and learning, no matter what age- kindergarten- college. We do quality work every day!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I started Stagelights with a Tax Id and a dream. No extra money. No credit cards, No loans. As I begin my journey, I went through a marital separation and many trying times. I built bit by bit. I didn’t have the fanciest studio. We didn’t even have mirrors when we began. I was learning to create and build art, while learning to be a business- and it was much harder than I expected. Add in to all of this, being a single mom; it was not easy. About a year and a half after I started Stagelights I was offered a full time job at a school. It was a lovely gig with benefits and a great schedule. But, as I sat there across from the principal, I knew I had to make a go of the studio- it was the dream- if not now, when? I taught theater wherever I could. I made connections and talked to people. I was determined that youth theater could be quality theater if the training was purposeful and challenging. We love and support our students, while pushing them to be the best performer they can be…
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Stagelights Theater Company (my studio) offers the highest quality training in the theater, dance, and music for children and youth in the Triad and beyond. We offer exceptional and exclusive Theatre training for children and young adults in a professional and challenging atmosphere. We are known for being an ENSEMBLE based program! We believe theater stories come to life best (more balanced, more interesting, more truthful) if they are told with a full ensemble, not through “leads” who get all the glory (you know the picture- talented singer belting center, ensemble step touching in the back!)
I am most proud of the fact that students say that Stagelights is their “happy place”, their “training for college place”, their “dreaming of broadway” and learning place! We support students starting performing arts skills at any age! Never taken a tap class and you are 13? No problem. Want to try acting, even though your high school doesn’t offer classes? No problem. We revel in the idea that we are not a hierarchy. We’d rather train our students than not put someone in a dance. We’d rather teach students music, than tell them they’ll never be a singer. We are inclusive and enthuiastic about our work and that makes students want to come back!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Local small business owners are great resources for learning the details of getting started, and often can be free or low cost.
Pricing:
- tuition based on hours of weekly classes
- scholarships and tuition assistance avail
- very reasonable pricing compared to other studios with similar classes
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @stagelightstheater
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stagelightstheater/
